New American Gods trailer sets the stakes for an epic battle

Fantasy fans have been waiting to see an American Gods TV show for quite some time, and now the storm is almost here.

Of course, with all these modern-day deities and old-timey entities preparing for battle, newcomers might be a little confused about what's happening in the new Starz series. But with a little help from the likes of Bryan Fuller and Neil Gaiman, the latest trailer for American Gods sets the stakes perfectly.

Based on Gaiman's award-winning novel, American Gods follows an ex-con named Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle) who finds himself caught in the middle of mythological war zone. On one side, there are the old gods headed by the enigmatic Mr. Wednesday (Ian McShane). On the other, there's a gang of newer gods representing modern-day idols like technology and media. And with a whole host of jinn and pagan goddesses popping up around every corner, Shadow finds himself (according to the official plot description, via Collider) "on a cross-country mission to build an army and reclaim [Wednesday's] lost glory."

Sounds pretty awesome, eh? Well, if you're not convinced yet, be sure to check out the trailer above. We've got bloody hammers, faceless goons, death incarnate, and an entire cast of colorful characters. Starring the likes of Crispin Glover, Peter Stormare, and Gillian Anderson, American Gods premiers Sunday, April 30.